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August 2012 Beauty Favorites!

6:00 AM

Hey guys! It's time for recapping my monthly favorite beauty products of this August. As you know, this month has been filled with lots of travel. With the whole packing and moving process, a lot of my readily-available cosmetics and beauty products have been limited so I wanted to share some solid staples that have made it to the small makeup pouch that I've been living out of for the last few weeks!

So the reason I included two lip balms this month is because my routine has gotten super low-key with everything being so busy. What can I grab that will make me look better but is quick, easy, and is good for my overall skin/lip health?

If you can forgive my super dry hands, you can see the texture of the Holika Holika Juicy Shine Lip Balm in Raspberry which has been my favorite lippy this month. It's very balmy in texture and imparts a pretty pink wash to the lips. I was initially worried that it might feel grainy since I could see small sparkles on the stick itself, but it's not a problem when the product is applied. It also smells like raspberry candy!

My other quick & easy go-to product has been the The Balm Frat Boy blush. This is a great warm pink matte that would look good on many skintones, and works for everyday wear. I had never tried The Balm's blush products before but I'm quite satisfied with the quality and portability of this one so far so I'll definitely be trying out more in the future. Love how the packaging isn't wasteful too! :)

Oh man, I just noticed my nails in that last photo. You can definitely tell I've been busy moving, cleaning, and banging my hands up, right? There's just not a lot of time or reason to do them right now when I know I'm going to be so hard on them again. I can't wait until I can get settled again and finally take some time for myself! :D

Thank you so much for all your helpful packing tips in the comments of my last post! It was really encouraging to see that moving is such a difficult and stressful ordeal for everyone. I definitely went into it with much more of a can-do attitude knowing that I could be a little more prepared this time. I'm finding a lot of blessings in living simply and I hope that in my future home I can live that way as well.

Speaking of simple blessings, I shared something that always fills my heart with joy at 8:03 of the video (and also here on my twitter). I hope that if you watch it, it will give you a bit of happiness too!

As always, thanks so much for reading and I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!

I'm having the same problem too. Btw, I just tried CG Lash Exact mascara based on your recommendation and totally loved it! It's exactly what I was looking for but couldn't find for the longest time. Just wanted to thank you!

Aw you look so tan and cute on the first picture! ♥ I really miss your tutorials, you're such an inspiring person, I always resort to watching your heartfelt videos whenever I'm feeling down and they really do help me. I'm glad to know that things are going great for you and I can only wish you the best for the future to come. Lots of love and hugs! Lau

Hey Jen - I use Bare Minerals Matte in Golden Fair - which looks wonderful on people who have fair skin with golden under tones. Also, I had problems with hormonal acne around my chin and did not want to go on birth control to fix it. My dermatologist prescribed Aczone, which has worked wonders. It's specifically for hormonal acne and is very gentle. I highly recommend it.

hi jen! your videos have been so helpful to me. as in! now, I know how to do my brows on my own, haha! uhmm, I'm morena so I'm not sure if the eye shadows & lipstick colors would look great on me. well, at least ok on my face. hope you can give pieces of advise on how to look good despite not being fair-skinned. thanks a lot! :)

Hi Jen, I'm a frequent visit to your blog and I really enjoy watching your makeup tutorial video! ^^ They're so inspiring and very easy to follow.Anyway, I was wondering if you could do a video on makeup remover :) that would be very helpful! Thank you!!

Hi Jen!! it´s my first time here in you blog!!! and i love it!!!!!!!I´m from Chile, and as so many.... im triying to find the right bb cream for me jajajaja.Could you help me????? some tips?? i´ve already seen all the videos!, but here in my city there is not a MAC consultor... sooooo... U_U. But I could send you a picture of me ;P !!!! lot of kisses!111111111111111111111111111111111

I have been following you for years. There is a product call Moodmatcher Lipstick by Fran Wilson which I have been hearing a lot about. It raves that it last 12 hrs and does not dry your lips. Could you possibly do a review on this? I would love your take on this product.

Totally echo your feelings about the Too Faced lash liner! I've always been wary of eyeliner, but now I can't seem to keep myself from dabbing some on each day! Glad to see it getting some love.

Also, just wanted to say thanks a million! As a makeup newbie, I find your tutorials super easy to follow, informative, and fun to watch. I did have one question I've been meaning to ask you (even after some Google research)--what is the best way to prevent liner/mascara smudges from appearing under my eyes throughout the day? I don't have a thorough makeup routine (i.e., I smear on some moisturizer, dab on some eye makeup, and head out the door) and don't use foundation. I read somewhere that powder will help absorb some of the facial oil that may cause smearing, but would appreciate any tips/insight. (I do use YSL Radiant Touch under eye concealer and was wondering if that had any effect.) Anyway, just wondering! (: Thanks again! Blessings!

I check your blog religiously, and am always so happy when you have a new post up. Your videos and posts are unbiased and super informative, and I feel like I'm getting such a better review than just those typical "4 hearts out of 5 for this product".

I've been searching through some of your old brush videos for a recommendation, and I can't seem to find it for what I need. I recently purchased the chanel vitalumiere cream compact foundation (http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/chanel-vitalumiere-aqua-fresh-hydrating-cream-compact-makeup-spf15/3285412?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=298), and am not sure what the best sort of brush is to use for it. I have an inexpensive version of the Sigma F50, but mine seems less dense, and does not always buff out completely.

Would you recommend the Sigma F50 for that? I was also looking at the F84 angled kabuki, please let me know what you suggest!

Hi Jen!I am a newbie at makeup and I recently started using foundation. I use Neutrogena's Makeup Remover Wipes because my friend recommended them to me, but they caused me to break out. Do you have any suggestions on any makeup removers?

Thank you so much for recommending the Too Faced 3-Way Lash Lining Tool! I have always been terrible with liquid eye liner, but this tool makes drawing clean lines so easy! As soon as you mentioned how easy it was to use, I looked it up on Amazon and bought it. Thanks again and I love reading your blog and discovering new beauty products.

About me

Hi, I'm Jen! I've been blogging and making youtube videos since 2008 and have loved encouraging others to feel beautiful in their own skin ever since. I hope you enjoy my beauty tips and reviews, style inspiration, and a bit of my life as a wife and mother!